Tongan residents are now banned from entering the Fua’amotu International Airport and the Tanoa International Dateline Hotel as the kingdom’s first repatriation flight is expected to arrive tomorrow Monday 13 from Fiji.
Only people with jobs and services deemed essential were exempted from the ban which will start at 12am this morning Monday 13 until 10am on Wednesday 29, a statement co-signed by Police Commissioner Steve Caldwell and Chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier Lord Fielakepa said.
Tonga’s first repatriation flight to bring home more than 50 residents stranded in Fiji during the Covid-19 pandemic was expected to arrive yesterday afternoon, Saturday July 11, but it has been postponed until Monday.
The military will help police guard the venues.
The passengers would remain at the Tanoa for 14 days before being tested once more and then released.
More than 7000 of Tongans were thought to be stranded overseas by Covid-19 restrictions.
Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa told Kaniva News last week the flight from Fiji was expected to bring some medical staff and their families as well as Tongan students in Fiji.
Hon. Tu’i’onetoa said the repatriation flights from New Zealand would start no later than the first week of August.
Tonga has remained free of the virus so far.
